As we near Rounds 10 and 11, the AFL competition will take a moment to recognise the contributions of the Indigenous people to the game over a two-week block, dedicated to Sir Doug Nicholls.
All 18 clubs have specifically designed guernseys to commemorate the fortnight of football, celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture.
Nicholls lived in the 20th century and was a major catalyst for reconciliation, becoming the first Aboriginal Australian to be knighted in 1972.
He also played for Northcote and Fitzroy in the 1920s and 1930s, as well as representing Victoria in football.
Nicholls was a VFA premiership player for Northcote in 1929 and coached them in 1947.
Below are the write-ups from the clubs detailing the meanings and reasoning behind the designs.
Yartapuulti (Port Adelaide)
The Yartapuulti Football Club has unveiled its 2025 First Nations guernsey, designed by AFL legend Gavin Wanganeen.
Wanganeen said the design reflects his cultural connection to the Milky Way, cherished memories of playing football at the historic Alberton Oval, and the people that make up the club.
A striking teal stripe made up of his intricate paint strokes sits at the centre of the guernsey and represents the Milky Way, and the club's heartland.
The traditional ‘V' shape on the guernsey is made up of a series of dainty and detailed white and teal dots.
𝗨𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗴𝘂𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀𝗲𝘆 🌌
Hand painted by AFL legend Gavin Wanganeen, the design was inspired by the night sky and tells the story of Yartapuulti's connection to First Nations players past and present. pic.twitter.com/1XiFWKv9CE
— Yartapuulti FC (@PAFC) May 12, 2025
